Walmart has announced the addition of an early morning delivery option to its range of customer services, including curbside pickup, late-night express delivery, and on-demand delivery. This expansion aims to offer more personalized and convenient shopping experiences to meet the diverse needs of its customer base.
In September of the previous year, Walmart expanded its Express Delivery service to allow customers who place orders by 9:30 p.m. to receive their deliveries by 10 p.m. Furthermore, in May, the retailer began piloting its Live Shopper feature, enabling customers to make last-minute changes to their orders and interact directly with the order picker in real-time.
The company emphasized the importance of personalized and flexible shopping solutions in its announcement, stating, “With Walmart’s On-Demand Early Morning Delivery and a suite of other convenient options, we’re focused on ensuring you have what you need, when you need it, to help you manage your time effectively, regardless of the time.”
Competition among major retailers for customers who value fast delivery services is intensifying. Target recently announced it would launch Target Circle 360 next month, a membership program offering unlimited free same-day deliveries for orders over $35, as well as free two-day shipping. As an introductory offer, the service will be available for $49 for the first year for non-Target Circle Cardholders until May 18, after which it will be priced at $99 annually. Target Circle cardholders will be eligible for the service at an annual fee of $49. This comes as Walmart’s own membership program, Walmart+, is priced at $98 annually, and Amazon Prime’s annual fee is $139 following a price increase in 2022.
Walmart is also focusing on reducing delivery costs. Over the past year, the company has managed to lower the expenses associated with last-mile deliveries from its stores to customers’ homes by approximately 20%, as highlighted by EVP and CFO John David Rainey. During a February earnings call with analysts, Rainey explained, “The increase in e-commerce activity has allowed us to distribute the cost of delivery across a larger number of customers, enhancing efficiency.”
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